FreeInChrist
Active Member
Can the Bible Still Be Trusted? Why this matters right nowTrust in Scripture shapes how we preach Christ, disciple our families, and stand firm in a confused age. If the Bible is God’s voice, our mission advances with confidence. If it is merely human opinion, our message loses authority and hope. God has not left us guessing. He has spoken clearly, truthfully, sufficiently, and permanently. Our task is to hear, believe, and obey. What Scripture says about itself “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for instruction, for conviction, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, fully equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16–17). Jesus prayed, “Sanctify them by the truth; Your word is truth” (John 17:17). “The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is trustworthy, making wise the simple” (Psalm 19:7–8). “Every word of God is flawless; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him” (Proverbs 30:5). - Scripture is God-breathed, true, sufficient, and sanctifying (2 Timothy 3:16–17; John 17:17). - Scripture’s origin is divine: “men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:21). How Jesus treated the Bible Jesus submitted to Scripture and affirmed its permanence. “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets… not one jot, not one stroke of a pen, will by any means pass from the Law until all is fulfilled” (Matthew 5:17–18). He said, “Scripture cannot be broken” (John 10:35). He taught the whole Old Testament as pointing to Himself: “Everything must be fulfilled that is written about Me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms” (Luke 24:44). He rebuked traditions that nullify God’s word (Mark 7:13) and insisted, “It is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for a single stroke of a pen to drop out of the Law” (Luke 16:17). - Jesus treated Genesis as history: creation and marriage (Mark 10:6) and the days of Noah (Matthew 24:37). - Jesus lived by Scripture: “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4). The reliability of the text in our hands God promises to preserve His word. “The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever” (Isaiah 40:8). “Forever, O LORD, Your word is settled in heaven” (Psalm 119:89). “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away” (Matthew 24:35). Through abundant manuscripts, faithful copying, and careful translation, the text has been guarded. The core gospel was already fixed and proclaimed within years: “Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures… He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:3–4). - The Old Testament Jesus affirmed matches our canon divisions (Law, Prophets, Psalms) (Luke 24:44). - The New Testament writings were recognized as Scripture in the apostolic era (2 Peter 3:15–16). One story, many fulfillments The Bible’s unity across centuries displays a single Author. Promise and fulfillment converge in Christ with precision and power. - Birthplace: “But you, Bethlehem… out of you will come for Me One to be ruler in Israel” (Micah 5:2; fulfilled in Luke 2:4–7). - Entry: “See, your King comes to you, righteous and victorious, humble and mounted on a donkey” (Zechariah 9:9; fulfilled in Matthew 21:5). - Cross: “They divide my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing” (Psalm 22:18; fulfilled in John 19:24). - Atonement: “He was pierced for our transgressions” (Isaiah 53:5; applied in 1 Peter 2:24). - Resurrection: “You will not abandon my soul to Sheol, nor will You let Your Holy One see decay” (Psalm 16:10; preached in Acts 2:31). - Kingdom: “One like a Son of Man… His dominion is an everlasting dominion” (Daniel 7:13–14; confessed by Jesus in Matthew 26:64). The Bible at work today Scripture is not only true; it is powerfully active. “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword… it judges the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12). “I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes” (Romans 1:16). “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ” (Romans 10:17). God builds and protects His people through the word. “I commit you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up” (Acts 20:32). “You accepted it… as the word of God, which is at work in you who believe” (1 Thessalonians 2:13). - The word saves and sanctifies (James 1:21–22; John 17:17). - The word equips mission and spiritual warfare (2 Timothy 3:16–17; Ephesians 6:17; 2 Corinthians 10:4–5). - The word directs daily discipleship (Psalm 119:105; Colossians 3:16). Answering common claims Alleged contradictions fade when context, genre, and authorial intent are honored. Apparent tensions often yield complementary angles that together give a fuller picture. Truth is coherent because God is true (Romans 3:4). Science rightly done observes God’s world; Scripture authoritatively explains God’s works and ways. The heavens declare His glory (Psalm 19:1), and His eternal power and divine nature are clearly seen (Romans 1:20). God has not lied and cannot lie (Titus 1:2). - Canon confidence: Jesus and the apostles testify to the prophetic-apostolic foundation (Luke 24:44; 2 Peter 3:2, 15–16). - Variants noted in footnotes do not overturn any doctrine. God warns against adding to or taking from His word (Revelation 22:18–19). - Moral clarity: “The law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous, and good” (Romans 7:12). Human tradition must not nullify God’s word (Mark 7:13). Living as people of the Book Confidence produces obedience. We read, receive, and act on the word with humility and joy, expecting God to work as He promised. “So My word that proceeds from My mouth will not return to Me empty” (Isaiah 55:11). The aim is not slogan-level affirmation but Scripture-shaped lives and ministries that display Christ’s lordship in public and private. - Read and meditate daily, whole Bible and whole counsel (Psalm 1:2; Acts 20:27). - Memorize and apply the word for holiness and witness (Psalm 119:11; 1 Peter 3:15). - Teach it diligently in the home and church (Deuteronomy 6:6–7; 2 Timothy 4:2). - Depend on the Spirit who illumines and reminds (John 14:26; 16:13). A settled confidence that fuels mission Scripture stands unmoved, pure, and sufficient. It tells the truth about God, the world, sin, salvation, and the kingdom. As we rest on the word and run with the gospel, Christ is honored, the church is strengthened, and the nations hear. “The entirety of Your word is truth, and all Your righteous judgments endure forever” (Psalm 119:160). Digging Deeper How the canon took shapeJesus named the three-part Hebrew canon and affirmed its authority (Law, Prophets, Psalms) (Luke 24:44). He also framed the historical sweep from Abel to Zechariah, covering Genesis through Chronicles in the Hebrew ordering (Luke 11:51). The apostles wrote with Christ’s authority under the Spirit’s guidance, and their writings were received as Scripture. “The Holy Spirit… will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have told you” (John 14:26). “When the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth” (John 16:13). Peter classed Paul’s letters with “the other Scriptures” (2 Peter 3:15–16). Textual variants and why doctrine stands firm The vast majority of variants are minor spelling or word-order differences that do not affect meaning. A few longer passages are marked in footnotes and handled transparently, which strengthens, rather than weakens, confidence. - The longer ending of Mark (Mark 16:9–20) and the account of the adulterous woman (John 7:53–8:11) are bracketed in many editions. - Core doctrines rest on numerous clear texts across multiple books, not on any single variant passage (e.g., the deity of Christ, the Trinity, justification by faith). Archaeology and history in service of the text Archaeology repeatedly aligns with Scripture’s people, places, and customs. While we do not build faith on spades alone, historical congruence supports the Bible’s rootedness in the real world it describes. - Names, cities, and timelines in both Testaments demonstrate credible, testable context. - Inscriptions, seals, and ancient records often corroborate biblical settings and rulers. Genesis as history and the gospel’s backbone Jesus grounded marriage in creation’s order (Mark 10:6). Paul tied sin and death to the real Adam and tied life and resurrection to the real Christ (Romans 5:12; 1 Corinthians 15:22). Peter treated the flood as historical and as a warning of coming judgment (2 Peter 3:5–7). Genesis explains why the world is broken and why the cross and resurrection are necessary. The gospel stands on history, not myth. Miracles and the modern mind The God who speaks created all things and upholds them by His word. Miracles are His sovereign acts within His own world and serve to reveal and confirm His purposes. “For nothing will be impossible with God” (Luke 1:37). - Miracles accredit God’s messengers and message (Hebrews 2:3–4). - The resurrection is the central public miracle attested by eyewitnesses (1 Corinthians 15:3–8). Reading hard texts with humble tools We grow by rightly handling the word. “Make every effort to present yourself approved to God… rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). Jesus taught His disciples to read all Scripture in light of Himself (Luke 24:27). - Read in context: words, sentences, paragraphs, book, and canon. - Note genre and covenant context. - Compare Scripture with Scripture and use clear texts to interpret the less clear. - Submit to the church’s historic, confessional consensus, testing all by Scripture. Training others to trust the word Confidence is contagious when modeled in everyday rhythms. Households, small groups, and elders can cultivate a Bible-first culture that forms sturdy disciples. - Establish church-wide Bible reading plans and memory pathways. - Teach families to read aloud, discuss, and sing the word together. - Equip evangelists and disciplers with a handful of key passages to open conversations and call for response. Passages to memorize for confidence in Scripture - 2 Timothy 3:16–17; John 17:17; Psalm 19:7–11 - Psalm 119:89, 105, 160; Isaiah 40:8; Isaiah 55:11 - Matthew 5:17–18; 24:35; John 10:35; Luke 24:44 - 2 Peter 1:21; 3:15–16; 1 Thessalonians 2:13; Hebrews 4:12 - Romans 1:16; 10:17; Acts 20:32; Ephesians 6:17 The Bible can be trusted, fully and finally, because God Himself has spoken, and He does not change or lie (Titus 1:2). |
